As Far As The Ways
by Mini Nephthys
Summary: Acolyte Issei sees dead people.  AU, oneshot.


Issei had always been able to see spirits.

It was an uncommon talent among monks now, but not unheard of. There were a few others in his temple that possessed the same ability.

Issei first realized what he was seeing at a young age. A dark man with a skull mask lurked in the trees near his temple. He tugged on another monk's sleeve. "Who is that strange man?" he asked, pointing.

The other monk saw nothing unusual. "What do you mean?"

"I mean him. The man with the mask..." Issei trailed off thoughtfully. Leaving the group of monks, he approached the forest. "Spirit-sama?"

"Yes?" This voice, too, wasn't heard by the others.

"Ah - nothing, really. I don't know anything to do in this situation but say hello. You must not get very much company if no one else can see you." He bowed, before being drawn back by another monk. "What-?"

"It is time to go back inside," the monk told him, ignoring the question of if he was talking to thin air or not.

Issei hung his head. "Yes, of course. Farewell, spirit-sama."

The next morning, Issei awoke with two fresh hotcakes next to the head of his futon. "Did someone leave me these?" he asked the others, but no one would claim to have been cooking in the middle of the night.

Finally, one of them suggested, "It must have been the spirit."

The pancakes were delicious.

* * *

After that, he usually only saw the spirits when he was alone. One winter, he stepped outside of the temple to retrieve a staff that one of the other monks had left behind earlier. As he was picking it up, he noticed a well-dressed man in blue with a long, swaying ponytail standing by the entrance to the temple. Issei bowed, still just an acolyte. "Sir, please come inside. You'll catch a cold otherwise."

The man shook his head. "The weather doesn't trouble me."

"Then at least let me fetch you a blanket." Not leaving room for argument, he headed back inside, and soon returned with a warm blanket. "Here you are, spirit-sama."

Looking slightly bewildered, the spirit accepted the offering. "Thank you. I have no means of repayment, as all I carry is my sword."

From as close a distance as politeness would allow, Issei inspected said sword. "I know enough of swords to know that this one is incredibly long... Forgive me for asking, but might you be...?"

Sasaki Kojiro nodded. "I see my fame has yet to wither away."

"Sasaki-sama, I don't think it will ever wither away," Issei answered firmly. More timidly, he added, "That is only what I believe."

Kojiro smiled. "Should you not be returning to your tasks? You might catch a cold, otherwise."

Issei bowed again for good measure. "Please feel comfortable at our temple." Then he left his guest and headed inside.

The next day, Issei picked the blanket off the snowy ground. Both sides of the blanket felt dry.

* * *

A woman was in the temple. Not in the parts for the laypeople, but in the quarters of the monks themselves.

Issei stifled his initial panic. "Spirit-sama, what are you doing here?"

The hooded woman turned to look at him. "I am looking for a good man. One that won't betray me."

He stiffened. This could be a benign spirit, or it could be an angry, destructive, unpurified ghost. "And who have you found, spirit-sama?"

She pointed towards one of the monks.

"Kuzuki-sama is a good man," Issei told her. "As his acolyte, I can only say that he is diligent and honest. Betrayal is not in his nature."

The spirit pulled back her hood to reveal a beautiful face. "Thank you, young man."

Issei stared. "You're... welcome..."

Kuzuki went missing for two weeks after that. When he returned, he spoke very little about his experience, saying only that she had passed on to the land of the dead at last.

* * *

Issei noticed the bloodstains behind the temple before he noticed the man there. This was no easy feat, as the man was enormous. Dark-skinned and dark-haired, he knelt on the ground, clutching a large wound on his right leg.

Swallowing hard, Issei went back inside and searched for a piece of cloth that would be big enough. At last he found one, and rushed back outside with it. He tied the bandage in its proper place before speaking to the spirit for the first time. "Spirit-sama, how did you gain that injury?"

No answer came as the man merely looked straight ahead.

Issei wasn't surprised when the man was gone when he came outside the next day. He decided that he didn't want to know what would have happened to him and the temple if he'd ignored the spirit's wound.

* * *

The blindfolded woman was drawing water from the well when Issei found her. Upon realizing that she was seen, she halted, though she didn't move away from the well.

Issei bowed low, though it pained him a little to do it for a woman's sake. This was no ordinary woman. "Please, go ahead. We have more than enough for ourselves."

"You are exaggerating." The spirit's voice was soft.

"Yes, I am," he agreed. "But it's part of being a monk to give, even when that inconveniences you."

"Is it also not part of being a monk to be wary of women who might lead you astray?" she asked.

"That's true. It may be vanity to say this, but I don't think any woman has a chance to do so with me. Even you, spirit-sama. I hope that was not your intention."

"It was not," she answered, resuming the well-drawing process. "I have no desire to spend any more time with men than I must."

"Good, then we have an understanding." He smiled for a moment, but it disappeared. "But I really do need to draw water after you've finished."

The spirit's lips quirked up in a smile. "I will hurry."

* * *

"Oi, kid. Come over here."

Issei started. It was the first time a spirit had called out to him, rather than the other way around. He approached the man in blue carefully. "S-spirit-sama?"

The spirit was relaxing, hands tucked behind his head as he sat against a tree. "Tell me, where can I find the best horse near here?"

The young monk thought for a moment. "I believe that Nobunaga has the stables of the best horses within twenty miles."

"And the best horseman to fight against?"

That didn't take as long. "Shingen, ten miles north of here." Silently, Issei wondered how the samurai would take being challenged by a spirit.

The spirit grinned. "Great. Thanks for the help." He ruffled Issei's hair, to which Issei let out an undignified squeak and backed out of his reach. Spirits were to be paid reverence, but that was just humiliating.

* * *

She was absolutely beautiful. She was also absolutely pure and good. Of that, Issei had no doubt.

Hesitantly he approached her, bowing as low as he dared. "May I assist you in anything, spirit-sama?"

The spirit turned to look at him briefly. "No, I was just admiring the architecture of your temple."

"Thank you, spirit-sama." Issei found himself blushing just from being around her, even when she paid him no attention.

He found a woman that he could respect and admire, and she was dead. How nice for him.

* * *

This one was easy to pick out right away. No samurai would ever wear such flashy gold armor as this man had, and certainly none were as blond as he. "Spirit-sama?"

The spirit gave no notice of him.

Issei sighed, and continued on his business. Pestering a spirit could only lead to bad things.

Later he heard of the next temple over being smashed by what looked like a thousand weapons, and congratulated himself on his good judgment.


End file.
